District 105 adds full-day kindergarten for 2015-16 school year

Starting next year, parents in La Grange School District 105 will have the option of enrolling their children in full-day kindergarten, officials decided this week.

On Monday, the school board voted 6-1 to approve a recommendation to establish the program, which will expand the district's kindergarten classes from four twice-a-day sessions to eight full day sessions. Board member Robert Webb cast the sole no vote on the recommendation.

With the new structure, the district is also looking into offering bilingual sections for kindergarten students who are English Language Learners.

"I feel really good about this plan," said board member Jan Reagan, adding that she was "thrilled" about the bilingual kindergarten option. "This is a great selling point for our district."

Staff estimate that the new program will include an additional $331,000 in personnel expenses — including hiring four teachers and four assistants — and one-time costs of about $130,000 in capital and planning expenses. Those costs would then be offset by additional state funding and personnel adjustments for a net expense of about $226,000, according to district documents.

"I don't think there is something that we could do … that would be more valuable than this program," said board President Dave Herndon. "I don't think it hinders us financially."

A parent-teacher committee recommended the change, arguing that a full-day kindergarten program would be beneficial for the community, citing potential improvements in achievement for low-income students and English Language Learners.

Bringing full-day kindergarten to La Grange School District 105 is a move that most school board members support, but the district's uncertain finances remain a concern as officials look into the cost of adding the program next year.

"I can see all of the reasons to do it, but the financial element...

A community survey found more than 75 percent of respondents also supported the program, which would be offered in conjunction with a half-day option, according to district documents.

Despite being "encouraged" by the potential bilingual program, Webb reiterated a previous concern that the long-term impact on student achievement is unknown and that the costs didn't outweigh the benefits.

"To me you just don't get a benefit in my view of hiring four more teachers and four more aids," he said.

Only "time will tell" whether student achievement will be positively impacted, said board member Larry Prystalski.

"I just go back to the idea that it's very hard to measure anything other than educational progress and I think that there are so many other tangibles," Prystalski said.